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Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has weighed in on how Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans insulting him could help his team in their upcoming UEFA Champions League clash. The two teams will face each other in the UCL quarter-finals on April 9 and 15 in the first and second legs, respectively.
Also known as Dibu Martinez, the goalkeeper has had an ongoing beef with French teams and fans since winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties. The shot-stopper delivered a generational performance, winning the Golden Glove in the tournament.
He also made two crucial saves when Aston Villa faced French side Lille in France in the UEFA Conference League quarter-finals second leg in April 2024. After a 3-3 aggregate, the Premier League side won 4-3 on penalties, with the French supporters booing Martinez during the game. This season, Aston Villa are once again gearing up to face French giants PSG in the Champions League, with Emiliano Martinez guarding the goal.
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In an interview with Argentine channel Telefe, Dibu Martinez was asked about facing the Parisians in the upcoming UCL quarter-finals. The Argentine shot-stopper remained confident and said (via GOAL):
"My team will be under less pressure because the focus will be on me, the fans will be insulting me. I’ve got it completely under control. Against Lille, they whistled at me for 120 minutes, that's normal. It's going to be exciting. I've already received messages and everything. We're strong at home, but away, we struggle more. It's a knockout phase, anything can happen."
Emiliano Martinez has maintained an impressive form this season, maintaining nine clean sheets in 40 appearances across competitions. Five of these clean sheets came through 10 Champions League outings, with seven goals conceded.
PSG boss Luis Enrique reacts to facing Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals
In a post-match press conference after beating Liverpool 4-1 on penalties (1-1 aggregate) in the Champions League Round of 16 on March 11, PSG boss Luis Enrique shared his feelings on facing Aston Villa in the quarters. He said (via OneFootball):
"Of course, I know Aston Villa, I’ve watched many matches as a football fan. Now, of course, I will watch them with a different perspective. And when the time comes, we will analyze the challenges posed by this team, one of the best teams in Europe."
The French giants have been in exceptional form in the Champions League despite finishing 15th in the league phase. PSG then beat Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the playoffs to qualify for the Round of 16, where they faced Liverpool. After a 1-1 aggregate, they won 4-1 on penalties against the Reds.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa directly qualified for the Round of 16 after finishing eighth on the table. They faced Club Brugge and beat them 6-1 on aggregate. The quarter-final clash promises to be exciting, with most teams being great contenders to go far in the competition.
